jcblough

Does anyone know of one? out there, I imagine it won't be as nice as GSAK but anything would be good to start with.

Does anyone have any software that will allow the synching of waypoints/loading of maps from map source to a garmin gps from a mac? My gps is the only thing I don't have running on my mac and would like to get it swapped over.

I have to say, I like micros in the woods. If you are going to spend alot of time looking for a hard micro, why not in a good location? I go out of the way to find them myself. I've also hidden a couple. My "bad cache" is a tupper ware tub hidden under a debris pile - why bother? I'd rather find a needle-needle-in-a-haystack in the woods than a leaky gladware covered in rotted sticks. I guess my biggest pet peeve are caches in dirty areas. Even worse, hard micros in dirty areas.

We have a local guy who puts out fake rocks w/ 35 mm film cannisters almost exclusively, I wanted to do one a bit different. What do you mold yours from, mine is sculpey

Here's my newest mr magneto

To me, a "crappy" cache is one that is just tossed out there w/ no thought or preparation or is poorly hid. The problem with those isn't that it cost people time looking for an uninteresting cache, it's that that cache takes up a 1/10 of a mile radius in a spot that now no one else - someone that might actually step off a trail to hide something can use. I hate that more than anything. As far as looking for them goes, if the area is terrible, I just don't go back. No shame in a DNF.

I just did this last night for some cubscouts. We found 3 caches in a local park. Just make sure to have enough gps'es to where they can get their hands on them. We had enough adults to help teach them how to do it and a couple of the boys already knew then we just cut them loose - kept an eye on them mind you - it went great. If you don't have a park w/ several caches there, just place some temporarily. Or if you have a snack for them for the meeting, hide that and have them hunt it down. That is just awful and disgusting on the treasurer problem. Spring is coming up, maybe have the boys do some garden work - planting beds, etc. Short of that try to do a raffle or a silent auction. Horrible to hear someone would do that to a scout den - good grief!

I agree with him 100%. I have a vista cx and use the compass sometimes. It is nice for when you are moving slow, but not necessary. A normal compass will do, just need to learn to read bearings. Altimeter is just a gimmick geocaching. It can be fun to see how far you climbed up/down along a hike but won't help you find it persay.

Right, it is what it is. You could shorten up your next upload by doing the following: Put the unit into mass storage mode (I am assuming the Vista Cx has that capability). The unit will now show up on your computer as a removable drive. In the "Garmin" file there is a file called "gmapsupp.img". Copy that file to your hard drive. Then, the next time you want that map set, you can just put it back on you GPS without having MapSource go through tne build process. How do you do this - this is what I wanted to to last night

That is one WEIRD approach to handling it, but it is what it is. Wonder why they just didn't put in a menu to manually delete what you didn't want on there - seems easy enough.

New map data always replaces any existing map data. You can turn off the display of the maps from the map setup page. So, for example say I had all of Mississippi loaded and then I loaded all of Arkansas, I'd lose the Mississippi data on the sd card?

I just got the topo maps for my new vista cx, easy to load, how the heck do you remove them? Can't find a thing in the manual. . .

Sounds like something is wrong with the firmware or some setting, not the unit itself - Any thought of sending it in? Hate to see you spend the $ on a new gpsr if you are just missing a firmware upgrade or a tweaking. Or even a warranty service - unless you just want a new one

Most will say the venture cx is the best bang for the buck. Like the other post said the vista cx has the compass and altimeter which is cool if you like to hike and/or play with orinteering stuff. Otherwise you prob won't use it. I have a vista cx myself and I love it. But I think any of the cx line will do you nicely. I will say the electronic compass is nice for standing still and looking for a cache on the compass screen. you can triangulate in on it w/o a standard compass if you like that method.

I recently purchases a garmin Vista Cx - I'm interested in the topo maps for it - the U.S. East maps. Anyone have or used these, are they worth the money? What kind of detail can I expect. The garmin website browse version of the maps has been broken the last couple of days.

I would add to find easy caches 1 to 2 stars that are regular sized AND have been found recently. That way it will help ensure that your target is there. If you want an idea of the error of your gps on hiding/finding stuff. Hide a cache yourself, mark the coords then come back the next day to find it using those coords. you'll know where it is so you can see how the gps works on both the marking and finding side to get an idea of how you need to search (i.e. not just ground zero)

That's what we all said. Isn't that the truth. I started out with a magellan explorist 200 now I have an extrex vista cx. Down the line, paperless with the pda and a good daypack with the stuff you use most is worth having. I'm sure the 60 csx has the same "find geocache" interface the vista has and I have liked it for keeping track of stuff. Just don't get in over your head. I haven't read it happening here but I'm sure somebody has made their first cache a bushwhacking into unknown territory and spent ALOT of time getting back home. Getting GSAK on your pc is a nice and inexpensive edition to your aresnal that will make loading and managing the caches on your gps easy. The marking your car is VERY important, I goofed on that just last night. Quick cache, I bushwhacked to it (didn't follow a trail) and stayed looking for the cache until well after dark. I hadn't marked the car. Luckily I looked at the trail data on the map and was able to make a good guesstimate as to where I had parked based on the path and got back.

I looked at those and ended up with the vista cx myself - mainly for the size and portability. I didn't figure I'd be using much highway nav either.

I'd suggest spending some time in a local park you are familiar with to learn your gps. That is a feature rich gps you have. It'd be best to learn how to use it in a friendly area before getting off the beaten path.

If you have a local Academy sports, they are running a special on the LE right now for $199.00. . .

I've done this - not as a first date, but as a date/outting and it has been great. Make it a spot you can stop over for a bit for a snack or a picnic. If you have a fun/outdoor person with you - it is a sure fire winner.

I ended up taking a plunge and got a Garmin etrex Vista CX. I've often read about the magellan reception being better in cover, but so far, the vista does better. It picks up good signals in houses where my magellan would not get any signal. It also acquires a good lock alot faster. Have yet to do any caching with it - just now got it all loaded up with way points. Definitely prefer the interface over the magellan. I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm thinking about possibly trading up from my Magellan explorist 210. I know this is a moot point but it is worth looking at the garmins over the magellans. I was wanting one about the same size as the explorist and my top end price would be $250. Want one that runs on aa batteries - no built in lithium. Any suggestions? I've read that garmin takes less time to "settle" but a magellan reads better in cover, any truth to that to those that have had both?

I have a good rei daypack for long day trips, for short trips I just use my pockets

Know a guy who lost his cache id in a divorce so proceed w/ caution